Her Maid: Searching
by thewhateverqueen
Summary: Samantha Augustus lost everything. Her parents, her home, and her sister. She is gone for three years after her mansion burns, and returns with a mysterious woman that she calls her maid. Now, she wants revenge against the people who killed her parents. But most of all, she wants her sister back.
1. Chapter 1: Samantha

So this is a story I came up with just a few days ago, actually. I really like the idea of a female demon and master. I do have plans for them to interact with Ciel and Sebastian, I didn't completely eliminate them from my plot. It wouldn't be a Kuroshitsuji fanfic without them, right?

Anywho, enjoy. I'll try to update frequently, but I can't promise anything.

thewhateverqueen :3

* * *

Her eyes were deeper than the sea. As they stared at me, silently telling me that she would be okay, I could not speak. I found myself getting lost in those eyes, they were as clear as the blue sky. They looked just like diamonds, glistening with unshed tears. I tried to avert my own eyes, which were muddy and shallow like a mud puddle, away from hers and to my lap.

Her crystal orbs softened, and she turned and walked away from me. She left me to stare at the air where her eyes were, just moments ago, telling me that she would be okay.

"Alice," I whispered, "Please don't leave me here. Alice!" Tears streaming down my cheeks now, I wept into my thin hands. "Alice! Don't leave me! Alice!" My sobs were suddenly drowned out by the sound of a crackling fire. "Alice?" I lifted my head and screamed out of fear. The doorframe in front of me was covered in red-orange flames. "Alice!" Screaming, I ran to the door. As I passed through the doorway I felt the flames lick at my legs and burn through my dress and to my flesh. I stopped for nothing. I had to find Alice. It was my top priority. Nothing could slow me down.

I found my way outside the mansion, my vision blurred and breathing ragged from the smoke. When I turned around, a choked noise that sounded anything but human escaped from my throat. Our whole mansion was on fire. Burning to the ground. I couldn't cry anymore. No tears would come out. I didn't even shout when someone grabbed me from behind and forced me into a carriage, a blindfold over my eyes. Screaming would do nothing. Besides, who would help me? What did I have to live for? I was parentless, and as of recent, homeless and sister-less. I lost my home and my precious sister in one day. I had nothing but the clothes I was wearing, my soul, and my mother's choker around my neck, set in the center with an emerald. It was all I had left of the House of Augustus. My family.

…

**Three Years Later**

"Did you hear? Samantha Augustus is back. She's the head of the Allie Kidd candy company!"

"Really? It's been what, three years since she mysteriously disappeared? How old is she now? Is her sister back as well?"

"Yes, I think it has been about three years. She must be at least thirteen now…I don't know, I haven't heard anything about her sister. But, I wonder where Samantha has been, and why she was gone for so long…"

"Me too. Wait! Diane, look! Is that her? Is that Samantha Augustus over there? I think it is! And who is that woman walking next to her? Oh my, they're coming this way!"

I heard the women gasp and turn away from me, causing a smirk to form on my thin, pink lips. I maintained my ladylike walk, keeping my eyes set on the path in front of me. Ophelia walked beside me to my left, head held high and a mischievous smile on her face, which made her red eyes practically sparkle. I turned my head and stopped for a moment to stare at her. "Hm, Ophelia, what has made you so happy?" My eyebrows raised, I waited for her answer.

"Oh, it is nothing, My Lady. I just find it amusing that these humans are shamelessly talking about you when you are within earshot of their conversations. Do you not agree?" She looked down on me, her eyes slightly narrowed.

I giggled softly. "I suppose that it is rather amusing. Though, they're just silly common people. They don't know any better." This time it was Ophelia's turn to laugh. The sound of her laugh always makes me shiver. It's so light, and tinkling, and I giggle every time this comes into my head; slightly demonic.

"What is it, My Lady?" Confused, she tilted her head to the side.

"Nothing, Ophelia, nothing. Let us go home now, okay?"

She nodded solemnly, probably disappointed that I will not share the source of my own laughter.

...

"Look! Look, Mary! It's Samantha Augustus! Don't you recognize her? She's been missing for three years!"

"Oh my goodness, it is her! Who is that woman with her, with the long black hair? Is that her _maid?_ Hm, I wonder where she's been. She doesn't have a place to stay, though, does she? Her mansion burned to the ground…"

"Yes, that must be her maid. I think that she had a new mansion built, in the same spot her old one was in. Isn't that odd?"

"Well, the whole Augustus family was kind of odd…"

"That's true, you're right. I think I heard somewhere that when Samantha disappeared her sister Alice flew to France and became a prostitute…"

_**Liars.**_

"I think I've heard that, too! Her mother was an erotic dancer, correct? And her father was the head of Allie Kidd Candies…What a weird pair."

"Yes, indeed..."

"You know, I suppose that because Christopher Augustus did not have a son as an heir he had to hand the company to one of his daughters after he died, but why Samantha? Why not Alice?"

"Alice was very irresponsible. She was always so wild…I still remember when she was a teenager, one day she ran through Main Street in only a corset. Boy, did Christopher ever get grief about that!"

"Stupid, immature girls…I hope that Samantha doesn't turn out the same way."

I sucked in my cheeks, my eyes closed. My fingernails dug into the flesh of my palms, drawing scarlet blood from the crescent shaped wounds.

"My Lady, let us go home now…" Ophelia gently took my arm and led me away from the two women I was about to stab with the knife I keep under my skirts.

"Yes. Let's go home." I allowed myself to be dragged away in the direction of my carriage.

One day, everyone who speaks that way about my family will die. Every. Single. One.


	2. Chapter 2: Samantha

Once again, I thank you for reading. Reviews would be appreciated! Comments, questions, constructive criticism, I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Anywho, enjoy chapter two.

thewhateverqueen :3

* * *

"Help…Please! Please, someone help me…Mommy! Daddy! Alice! Someone…" I moaned and cried, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees. I sat on the cold, damp, stone floor, my eyes completely shut. I ceased my sobbing and pitiful noises when the faint sound of footsteps was audible.

"No…No, no, no…" I whispered to myself. Who was it going to be this time? The doctor? The master? No, it was just one of the slave girls, clad in a skimpy dress that barely covered her thighs. She had a sad, tortured look in her eyes. She shouldn't feel so sorry for herself, at least she gets to walk around, she isn't forced to stay in a cell all alone. She's practically free.

"I brought you food…" She whimpered, sliding the tray through a small slat in the door. I simply glared at her, but my damp eyes widened at the sound of more footsteps. This time it was the doctor.

"Good morning, my little babe! Are you ready for more tests?" His young, almost handsome face had laugh lines around his mouth and under his eyes. How could he be so happy when he tortures and even kills hopeless and defenseless girls? He was a monster. An evil, evil monster.

I shook my head vigorously. He chuckled briefly before unlocking the door to my cell, pushing the other girl out of the way. She fell back and hit her head on another cell door, and she sat there on the floor for a moment, dazed, but then she got up and ran quickly back down the hallway. Lucky bitch.

"Now now, Babe, it's not going to hurt very much. The tests today won't be as bad." It was hard to find comfort in that when his eyes were teasing and happy. I could swear to the god that may or may not exist that he was lying. It was going to hurt. A lot.

…

"No, no, please! Please!" I sobbed, while the doctor strapped me into the harness of a machine. I didn't know what this one did. I have never used it before.

It didn't take me long to find out. The doctor stepped back and pressed a large, red button on a thin pedestal. With a jolt, a large metal weight slowly started descending, and soon it was pushing down on my shoulders. I was relieved to find out that there was a hole where my neck went so my neck would not break. All of the pressure was on my shoulders.

I had to crouch after a few seconds. The doctor started to jump up and down in glee as it forcefully pushed on my shoulders again, causing me to cry out in pain. "Please, make it stop! Make it stop!" If he didn't turn it off in time, I would have to lie down, and the machine would crush me. But, I didn't get the chance to lie down. The awful thing sped up, and I could only sit there, feeling my clavicles crack and fracture, my voice becoming hoarse from all of the screaming.

Finally, it was over. The weight lifted back up, and I leaned forward and put my forehead on the ground, breathing fast, painful breaths. The doctor grabbed my right arm, making me scream once more. He's ruthless. Awful. **Evil.**

…

It was on to the next device immediately after that. The skin on my shoulders raw and bleeding from the squirming I did on the last machine, the doctor tied my wrists and ankles to an odd thing that required me to be propped up against a wooden board. The rope he used was coarse, and it rubbed my skin to no end.

"Ready to begin, my sweet? After this, I think I'll turn you over to the master. You'll like that, won't you? Hm? Don't you want him to make you feel good?"

I shuddered, feeling bile rise in my throat. The master was almost as bad as the doctor. He was a pervert. He touches me inappropriately, and leaves me beaten and worn out. He is disgusting.

In all of the time that I was forced to stay there, I was so confused as to why these two handsome men who couldn't be more than twenty-five did these awful, horrendous things. Why did it bring them joy? Why did they enjoy to see women and girls in such pain and suffering? I never knew, nor did I truly want to know the answer.

The doctor pushed another button, and now I felt the machine pulling on my limbs, wanting to force them out of their sockets. They wanted to amputate me? Remove my arms and legs and let me die?

_Help, someone, help! I need help…_

The machine got increasingly faster, and it pulled harder. It wouldn't be long now until the bones were removed from their sockets…And then the muscles would tear….

_If you need help, I can supply it for you. What do you wish? _

The voice was eerie, and I shuddered again, even with my very limited movement.

_I want to be free! I want my sister! I want…I want revenge! I want them to die…I want Everyone who hated my family to die! I want to know who killed my parents, and get revenge…Please, please help me!_

I heard an almost demonic chuckle.

_I see. If I can do all of these things for you, will you allow me to have one thing in return?_

Crying out this time, instead of in my head, I shouted, "Yes! Yes anything!"

_Wonderful. I will fulfill your wishes and as a reward I will claim your soul._

I threw my head back as my limbs were stretched to my breaking point.

_What is your command?_

"Save me! Free me! KILL THEM! That is an order!" All of a sudden, the lights went out. The machine stopped. I moaned in relief, my pale face drenched in sweat, blood, and tears.

"What is going o-NO! STO-" The doctor screamed. All was quiet for a few moments. There was another scream, farther away. It came from the master. They were dead. I could be free.

The lights went back up, and I didn't see the doctor anywhere. Out of the shadows, a woman with black, flowing hair down to her back and red, glowing eyes untied my wrists and ankles.

"Master…Are you alright?" Her voice was the one from my thoughts. Who was she? _What _was she?

"M-master? I'm your…Your master?" She nodded, a smirk making her look devious and mischievous.

"Yes. I am your servant. My name is Ophelia." She tilted her head and opened her mouth slightly, revealing pointy, sparkling white canines.

"Ophelia?" I thought about the name, and why it sounded familiar. Then I remembered, my father would read Shakespeare's _Hamlet _to me every night before I went to bed. Ophelia was my favorite character. "What…What are you? I know you can't possibly be human…"

"Why, My Lady, I am your maid, and a demon."

…

I awoke with a start. My forehead was dripping with cold sweat. I gasped for breath, looking around the dark room with frantic eyes. I quickly gripped the hem of my nightgown and pulled it up, revealing the demonic symbol tattooed around my bellybutton. As I stared at it my breathing slowed down. It wasn't just a dream. I really did escape from two evil, perverted men. I really was tortured. I really did have a demon for a maid.

"My Lady? My Lady, are you alright?" A tall figure opened my bedroom door, throwing yellow light onto the floor.

"Yes, Ophelia, I'm quite fine. It was just a nightmare. I'll be okay." She smiled softly, walking over to me with an outstretched hand that eventually smoothed my platinum blonde hair down.

"Are you sure? I can make you some tea. Tea makes everything better, didn't you know?" She patted my shoulder, which was much better than it was a few months ago, when it was bruised and scabbed. The bones still weren't completely healed, but they were close to being okay again.

"I'm sure, Ophelia. I'm just going to go back to sleep now. Please make me some mint tea in the morning though, okay?" She nodded, and left the room soundlessly. I laid my head back onto my soft, goose down pillow and fell asleep once more.

…

"No, no light. Ugh!" My eyes opened immediately after Ophelia opened the curtains covering the window, allowing beams of light to fall on my face. "Ophelia!" I whined, "Just let me sleep a little more. I'm so tired!"

Gleefully, she shook her head. "Sorry, My Lady, you have an appointment today in just a few hours. We need to get you bathed, dressed, and fed before then. I'm going to go run you a bath, please sip the mint tea you requested while I prepare it for you." Bowing, she backed out of the room rather quickly, knowing that I'm on the warpath when I wake up.

I sipped the hot tea grumpily, while skimming through the daily newspaper. There was nothing interesting going on today, apparently. How dull and boring.

Ophelia came back a minute later and waited patiently for me to finish my tea. When my cup was empty, I followed my maid into the bathroom directly across from my bedroom. I allowed her to undress me, and I climbed into the claw-foot bathtub, sighing contentedly as I lowered myself into the hot water with rosemary scented bubbles.

"So, what is the appointment I have today? Who is it with? Goodness, I always have so many, I never know which one I have to go to next." After gently pushing me further into the water, Ophelia began to scrub my hair and scalp with lavender shampoo.

"I believe it is your product design manager, who wants to discuss his new product idea." I groaned.

"I loathe that man! He always brings up…Never mind. Oh, how I wish I could fire him! It's a shame he's so good at what he does."

Ophelia let out a chuckle. "Yes, My Lady, it's a real shame."

…

"Lady Augustus! How nice to see you! How have you been faring?" The loud, booming voice made me visibly flinch.

"Good day, Mr. Heather. I am doing well, and yourself?" I tried to keep a bright smile on my face, but on the inside I was cursing myself for allowing him to continue to work at my company. I just really do not like that man.

Jonathan Heather was a friend of my father. They were always going to see plays together, and whenever Mr. Heather was over you'd know that they would eventually end up in a heated game of chess. I didn't have a problem with him when my parents were alive. No, it was afterwards. Every day after my mother and father's death he would bring a bouquet of roses and a present for both Alice and me. It was very annoying after some time. Soon, our mansion was full with dead or dying roses. The smell was overwhelming.

These days, we cannot hold a conversation without him bringing up my parents, Alice, or my "mysterious disappearance."

"Do you still miss your mother and father, Samantha? What about your sister? Do you know where she is, now?"

_Here we go again…_"Yes, of course I miss them. I don't know where Alice is yet." I took in a deep breath. "Thank you so much for coming, Mr. Heather. I really do like the design you made for the new product. You can give the production managers the okay to start making them, alright? I must be going now. It was wonderful to see you again. Ophelia will show you out…" I smiled and curtsied for him before turning and exiting the room. I really needed to get away from that man and to a quieter place so I could relax. I had lots more to accomplish, and it would take a lot of my limited energy to do all of those things.

I just wish I didn't have to be so important.


	3. Chapter 3: Ophelia

I thought I'd put in a little chapter on what Ophelia does throughout the day.

Took me forever to write, good god.

Anywho, enjoy.

thewhateverqueen :3

* * *

Ah, the daily duties of an Augustus maid.

My day always begins at precisely four o'clock in the morning. I must check that all of the linens have been cleaned and hung up to dry. After that I use a feather duster to remove the dust from practically every surface in every room in the mansion, sans my Lady Samantha's room, because I would not want to wake her at such an early hour.

Next at exactly five o'clock, I polish all of the silverware and fine china. I make sure that I can see my reflection in every single item. In the House of Augustus, nothing can be less than perfect.

At six-thirty, I make my way into the kitchen. Without fail, I always find some sort of mess. Every morning, in the middle of the wreckage, stands the "chef," Maria, with an extremely guilty expression.

"Maria. What in the world are you doing?" No matter the day, she always jumps a foot into the air.

"Madame Ophelia! I was…I was making crêpes for the Lady Samantha! Or, I was trying to…" She slumped her shoulders. The busty woman then turned to face me. "I know, I know. 'Maria, clean this mess so _I _can make crêpes for Lady Samantha.' You don't even have to tell me."

With a huff, the woman walked over to the metal sink, and grabbed a wet rag, and then commenced in scrubbing the countertops vigorously, mumbling curses under her breath, her long red ponytail swinging back and forth as she moved.

I could only roll my eyes. As soon as one area is clean, I gather the necessary ingredients and begin to make my Lady her breakfast. It doesn't take me long, and when I am finished, I cover the meal with a metal lid to keep it warm while I prepare my Lady for the day. I would be ashamed with myself if I served her a cold breakfast.

Before I can wake the Lady I make her a pot of tea, and in this case it was mint. I carried the silver tea tray to the trolley before fetching the newspaper that was sitting on the front porch step and placing that on the cart as well.

The young mistress is woken up at eight o'clock A.M. Not a minute early, not a minute late. Even if she groans and shouts at me to let her sleep in longer, there is no possible way that I would let her do such a thing. I run on a very tight schedule. Letting her sleep in would throw the whole thing off. It would be quite troublesome.

As I enter my Lady's room, I push the tea trolley over to the side of the bed. Then I must proceed to open the curtains, so the room can be filled with the morning light.

"No, no light. Ugh!" She will groan and plead and even cry to be left alone so she can continue to sleep, but there is no way I will allow her to do that. Again, I have a schedule. It can not be ruined.

While the young mistress drinks her tea and reads the morning paper, I fill her bathtub with hot water and bubbles. When she is finished with her tea, I help her bathe, and dress her appropriately according to who she has appointments with or where she must go on this day.

Finally we descend to the dining hall, where the butler is attempting to set the table.

"No, no! The forks go on the left side of the plate, napkins underneath them. Bigger on the inside, smaller on the outside. On the right is the spoon and knife. The knife goes on the inside, the cutting edge facing left, towards the plate. The spoon goes on the outside. Have you learned nothing from what I have taught you before?" I rush over and fix the mess he has created, while the young lady stands impatiently in the doorway.

"I am so sorry, Miss Ophelia…" He whimpered. "I am still not used to setting tables…Please do not hit me…"

The thin boy cowered, awaiting my hand to strike him. I sigh and walk over to him, gently placing my hand on his bony shoulder. He flinches, but does not shy away from my touch. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. Just remember to set the table properly next time, okay?" He nodded pitifully. "Wonderful. Could you get the bowl of fruit from the kitchen for me?" He nodded once more, a bit more enthusiastically this time, before scurrying into the kitchen. "Thank you, Avery." As he closes the kitchen door behind him, I sigh and fix my hair, which was in a tight braid down my back. I know that I should not be kind to the servants who do not do their work properly, but I can't help but have a soft spot for the boy. He's only sixteen, and he's as skittish as a kitten. The only reason my Lady Samantha allows him to work at her mansion is because of the secret he hides under his perfect white gloves.

"Today, my Lady, we have chocolate and strawberry crêpes, topped with whipping cream. On the side we have a small fruit salad, dusted with sugar, the way you like it. Is this meal to your liking?"

"Yes, thank you, Ophelia." As the young mistress eats her meal, I make her bed and dust inside of her bedroom. I take the dirty linens downstairs to be washed.

When the young Lady is finished, I have Avery clear the table. Lady Samantha then sits in her study until the time of her appointment. I let the guest in, and serve them tea before fetching my mistress.

After the guest leaves, my Lady must have her studies, which I oversee. We first start with English, and then move on to dance, and we finish the morning studies with history. She despises all learning besides dance and music, but I make sure that she does her very best in everything. The head of the Augustus family must have some form of intelligence. I cannot allow the young mistress to be a dimwitted slug. It simply cannot happen.

After the preparation and consumption of lunch, the young Lady requests time in her study alone to work on company business. I use this time to harass the servants and make sure that they are doing their job correctly, starting with the imbecile we call a gardener.

"Are you really that idiotic that you would even _consider _trimming hedges with a machine gun? Why a machine gun? We do have hedge clippers that we use for trimming hedges, you know! I cannot believe this. Why do I even let you stay here?" I rub my temples as I stare at the mess of green shrubbery standing before me.

"Caroline thought it was a good idea. Caroline always uses machine guns for things like trimming hedges. Didn't Miss Ophelia know that? Miss Ophelia lets Caroline stay here because she can defend Miss Samantha's mansion. Correct?" The girl grinned at me, propping the gun on her shoulder.

I swear, I lose brain cells every time I talk to this woman. My arms dropped to my sides. "Silly me, I should have known. Clean this mess up immediately before I grab that gun from your hands and shoot you in the head. Or better yet, I shoot myself."

She gasped, and started to pick up pieces of the shrub frantically. I could only chuckle at the sight.

After I clean the mess that that idiot has created, I check on the others, Maria and Avery, who usually aren't doing anything particularly stupid at this time.

When the young Lady is content with the work she has accomplished, we go on any errands or attend any appointments that she must leave her mansion for.

After that, we do her afternoon studies. Music, writing, mathematics, and sewing. She insisted on learning how to sew, even if she hates doing it. It reminds her of her mother, I suppose. Without fail, she will prick her finger with the needle with almost every stitch. Eventually we both give up. She on sewing the garment, and I on teaching her on how to do so properly.

Finally, it is almost time for the evening meal. If there is a guest, they will chat while I prepare. When it is just the young mistress, she likes to do more work or simply read in her study.

The dinner must be prepared perfectly, no matter the ingredients. It will always be baked, cooked, broiled, etcetera, to perfection. Always.

After dinner and the evening tea, the young mistress retires. I change her into her nightgown, brush out her long hair, and tuck her into bed. Sometimes she asks me to sing her a lullaby like her mother would, and I comply, willingly or unwillingly, depending on the day.

When she falls asleep, I sneak out of the room to prepare for the next day.

I start with writing out what exactly I want the servants to do when the sun rises. I slide the list under their bedroom doors. Next I wash the linens, and make a mental note to myself to hang them up to dry the next morning. I then proceed to clean the kitchen and the dining hall.

After all of those things are completed, I can relax in my bedroom until four A.M. Sometimes I attempt to sleep, and sometimes I continue writing the memoir of my days with my master. I have one for every human I have made a contract with. I'm up to fifteen, I think.

Hopefully I can finish the one about this brat soon.


	4. Chapter 4: Samantha

Hello! This chapter took quite a while, I apologize.

Also, I changed the picture for this story, (because apparently fanfiction is making changes that includes pictures...) and I know it is Elizabeth Middleford, but I thought that the picture kind of fits Samantha as well. Please don't hurt me for it! ^_^

Anywho, enjoy. Ciel and Sebastian make their appearance in this chapter!

thewhateverqueen :3

* * *

"_Jack the Ripper? _Hm, that's an interesting name. I think that the queen is setting me up for failure on this one, don't you, Ophelia? It seems like a challenging case. Shouldn't she send her guard dog for this, rather than me?"

"She _is _sending her guard dog, my lady. Apparently, according to this letter, she wants to see how well you work together."

"Ophelia, why didn't you tell me this earlier? Don't you think that that is an important piece of information?" I propped my chin up on my hands, my eyebrows raised. I stared at Ophelia, who has a devilish smirk playing on her lips.

"I didn't think to tell you until now, my Lady."

"But you read me the letter from the queen! You said that the information about her guard dog was in that very letter!"

"I may have skipped over that part. It was merely an accident."

"Sometimes, Ophelia, I really would just love to cut out your tongue. Let me see the letter for myself." I grabbed it from her gloved hand, and placed it gently on the desk in front of me. It read:

"_Baroness Samantha Augustus,_

_It has come to my attention, and I'm sure to yours as well, that a man by the name of Jack the Ripper has begun to brutally murder young women, by means of slitting their throats before mutilating their abdomens and removing internal organs. We do not know who this "Jack" is, or how to stop him, so that is where you come in._

_I am assigning you to this case. I have also assigned Earl Ciel Phantomhive to be your partner. I did this simply to see how well the two of you work together. _

_I am counting on you two to stop these awful crimes. _

_Victoria"_

Sighing, I folded the letter and sat it neatly on a stack of other opened letters. "Ophelia, please send a note to Earl Phantomhive, to invite him here." I smoothed my hair absentmindedly.

"I could do that, my lady, but the Earl has already sent one, inviting you to his manor." I glared at her in disbelief, while she smiled happily. "In fact, we will be departing for the Phantomhive manor in two hours, so I suggest you let me ready you for the trip. He insists that you should stay for a few days. I have already packed a suitcase for you."

I got up from my chair slowly, and strode over to the study door. Without turning around to face her, I hissed, "Someday, Ophelia, I swear."

"What about it? Someday I'll feast on your soul, I know that. That's a fact that can never be changed. Well, almost never. But we shouldn't discuss this now. We have a visit with Earl Phantomhive to prepare for." She sang, following behind me.

Sometimes I really hate myself for making a contract with a demon with an attitude.

…

"Is that the Phantomhive manor there, Ophelia? Is that where we'll be staying?"

"I believe so, my lady. I trust that Mr. Oliver knows where he's going, so I'm sure that this is the place." We came to a slow stop, and I heard the stable hand and coachman jump down from the front seat, his feet landing in the dirt with a loud _smack. _He opened the door, a smile on his boyish face lighting up his features.

"May I take your hand, Lady Samantha?" It took all of my inner strength not to blush. Before Ophelia could intervene, I quickly placed my hand in his. He helped me out of the carriage before helping Ophelia as well. I thanked him, and he bowed to me in response, his right hand over his heart.

I, Samantha Rosemary Augustus, have handsome boys of sixteen and seventeen bowing and bending to my every will, and I am just thirteen. I suppose I should not be surprised, but I am, nonetheless.

"Oliver. Do you really have to jump from the seat like a child? There is a step, you know. You are most certainly not a child, even if you do act like one," Ophelia chided, my suitcase in her arms.

"Greetings, and welcome to Phantomhive manor," A voice interrupted Oliver before he could get out one word. "I am Earl Ciel Phantomhive, but you may call me Ciel. This is my butler, Sebastian Michaelis. Welcome, Baroness Samantha Augustus and company." A boy my age, wearing fancy clothes of royal blue and a black eye patch over his right eye, approached me. He tossed his steel blue hair coolly, a coy grin upon his face.

"Thank you very much, Ciel. You may call me Samantha. Calling each other titles such as Earl or Baroness simply subtracts precious seconds from the time we could be using to help the queen and stop the murders, correct?" I smiled genuinely, laughing internally at my own eagerness. "Ah, I have forgotten! This is Ophelia Polonius, my maid. Next to her is Oliver. He is my coachman. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ciel. And you as well, Mr. Sebastian. I am thoroughly thankful that you invited me to stay at your manor. I hope I won't be a burden," I curtsied, a smile never leaving my lips.

"The pleasure is all mine, Samantha. It is no problem, you will not be a burden. Sebastian, will you please take Samantha, Ophelia, and Oliver's suitcases, and show all three to their rooms? I will be waiting in the garden for afternoon tea. It would make me happy if you would join me, Samantha. Sebastian?"

"Yes, my lord." The butler bowed before taking our bags. We followed him into the large manor house. When we were left alone, Oliver in his own room, and Ophelia and I in mine, I could finally speak my mind.

"Good grief. I don't know about you, Ophelia, but I'm going to become very tired of being polite very fast." I sat down on the bed, rubbing my temples. "That boy, Ciel, there's something odd about him and his butler. Did you take a look at that man, Sebastian? He looks a bit suspicious. What do you think?"

"I agree, my lady, with everything. I have looked closely at him, and you are right. He just seems too perfect."

"Indeed. I'm just worried…You know why. He, what if he's…" I wrung my hands together on my lap as I sat on the bed.

"Understood." Ophelia nodded. "What are my orders?"

"Investigate this Sebastian Michaelis. Figure out why he's so perfect. Use whatever means that you must." I undid the invisible buttons on the bust of my dress to reveal my pale stomach. The demonic black symbol around my bellybutton began to glow an intense blue. "That is an order!"

Ophelia bowed, her hand over her heart. "Yes, my lady."

As Ophelia redid my buttons, I sighed loudly. "Let us go to tea now. We wouldn't want to keep them waiting, now would we?"

…

"Today we have a jasmine tea, served with petit fours and scones. Enjoy." Sebastian served us our tea, with little of Ophelia's help.

"Mr. Sebastian, you should have let me help you prepare tea! I would have loved to assist you." She called out sweetly, almost making me gag.

"Oh, no. You are a guest. I could never ask you to do such a thing."

Ophelia smiled shyly. "I insist. I am a maid, I should be able to help with these things. Please let me help you next time, okay?" Sebastian nodded once, a faint smile present on his face.

"If you wish, madam." I watched and listened to this spectacle in disgust. Was this how she was going to coax information out of him? By acting like a silly, clueless girl? I never thought that she, of all people, would do such a thing.

"Samantha, what do you know of this case?" A voice brought me out of my thoughts. Ciel sipped his tea casually, looking at me intently with his bright blue eye.

"Not much more than you already know, I suppose. I have no one to investigate, no leads to follow, if that is what you were wondering."

Ciel chuckled. "That is okay. I have someone to investigate. A man by the name of Aleister Chamber, the Viscount of Druitt."

"Ah, the one who is always throwing parties?"

"Yes, indeed. We, Sebastian, two acquaintances of mine, and I, have come up with a plan to see if he is the one who is kidnapping and murdering the women."

"Acquaintances? Shouldn't I know who they are, since I am your partner?"

"Oh yes, I do apologize. They are my aunt, Madame Red, and Lau. Lau owns an international trading company. Both of them help me when I am on missions for the queen on occasion. I'm sure that you will meet them soon."

"I see. Now, do go on. What is your plan?"

"We will attend an upcoming party that the Viscount of Druitt is hosting. I will be dressed as a girl, and my job is to get his attention, to see if he will try to capture me."

"Don't you think that I should be the one to try to get his attention, since I am actually a female, and you are not? Why go to the trouble to dress as a woman when you have one sitting across the table from you?"

"We do not want to put you into any danger, Miss Augustus."

"Well, I thank you for thinking of me, Sebastian, but I am stronger than you think I am. I will be fine." I argued, upset that they would not let me take part, simply because I am a girl and I might get hurt. What do they take me for, a child?

"No, I insist, Samantha, you let me do this. We have already assigned you an important role!"

"Oh? And what is this important role?" My temper was flaring.

"You will keep watch, and alert Sebastian if the Viscount takes me. It is very important. We would never make you completely useless, Samantha, I promise." I only rolled my eyes and took a bite of a petit four.

"I dearly apologize for my mistresses' behavior. She does not like the fact that others look down on her because she is female. She'll get over it eventually." Ophelia offered a weak smile, stepping closer to me to put a hand on my shoulder, wordlessly telling me to stop slouching and sit like a lady.

Unhappily I obliged, sitting up and crossing my legs nicely.

"Oh no, it is okay. I understand. I feel that way about being treated like a child." Ciel laughed softly, folding his hands with his elbows on the table and resting his chin on them. "It is perfectly fine." His smile seemed fake, and practiced. I couldn't help but feel upset, perhaps he was truly angry with me. Or maybe he has trouble with producing a genuine smile. Who knows?

"Fine, okay. You will dress as a woman, I will stand watch and alert Sebastian if you and the Viscount go missing. I can do that. Ah, we have an issue. Ophelia, you did not pack any party-appropriate dresses, did you?"

Ophelia shook her head. "No, my lady, I did not. I apologize."

"Do not worry about that. My fiance, Elizabeth Middleford, is very fond of dresses. I'm sure she would be delighted to let you wear one of her many outfits for one night. Although, we do not want her knowing about this charade…Hm, that could pose as a problem. Sebastian, any ideas?"

Ophelia interrupted quickly. "It is no problem for me to run back to the estate and get you a dress, my lady. It would not take me that long."

I nodded. "That is true. Later I will tell you exactly which one I would like, alright?" Ophelia nodded as well and stepped back. "Problem solved. Wonderful. Is there anything else we need to discuss about the party?" I cocked my head to the side, a small gesture I had picked up from my sister when I was younger. Whenever I asked her about it, she would say that it made women look more innocent, and would make them more attractive to men. I wasn't looking to draw in Ciel, but I simply do it without thinking. With that motion, I saw a sly grin and something I couldn't quite identify in his eye, for just a moment.

"No, I do not think so. It is not until Wednesday, and it is Monday today, correct? We can discuss more about it tomorrow. Does that sound okay, Samantha?"

I smiled. "Yes, that is perfectly fine. Shall we finish our tea, then?"

"Indeed. I'd hate to leave you alone, but I do have some work that I must accomplish for the Funtom company today. If you would like, perhaps you could sit in my study with me, and keep me company? It is entirely your decision. I understand that you have your own business, as well…" Ciel stared at me with a slightly curious expression.

I bit my lip, trying to decide what to do. "I actually do not have anything for _my _company that _I _have to accomplish…So, yes, I suppose I will keep you company. I have an excellent book that I am currently reading, perhaps I could sit and read that for a while. Will that be okay?"

"Perfect, yes, that would be fine."

And so started my friendship with Ciel Phantomhive. He is a quite curious person. When he smiled I could tell that it was not genuine, it was simply there to humor me. The somewhat saddened expression in his eye on occasion confused me to no end. I wondered for the longest time what troubled him, why he could not truly smile, why it never reached his eyes.

…

It is the night of the Viscount's party. The evening before, Ophelia had literally ran back to my estate to fetch my royal purple gown, complete with matching shoes and hair ribbons. She fixed my hair in tight curls, the ringlets tumbling down my back.

When I was completely ready, I realized I was finished very early. I decided to see how dressing Ciel up like a woman was going for both he and Sebastian. As I approached Ciel's bedroom door, I heard groans and muttered curses. I stood there at the door for a moment, confused. Then I knocked on the door briskly, calling out, "Ciel? Sebastian? Is everything okay?" There was silence immediately after that.

It took a minute or two, but the door finally opened, and Sebastian stood in the doorway, smiling mischievously. "Everything is fine, Miss Augustus. I was simply tightening my little lord's corset." I burst into a fit of laughter, my cheeks turning bright red, redder than the blush Ophelia had applied. Ciel appeared next to the butler in the corset and boxer shorts, looking very angry, his cheeks red as well.

"It is not funny! How do you survive wearing these things all the time?" He had a crazed look in his eye. I noticed that he was not wearing his eye patch, his hair was just covering the right eye.

"After a while I got used to the pain. It's really not all that bad anymore. The first time I wore one was awful, though. I sounded a bit like you did earlier. By the way, those noises were quite beautiful. I really thought you were being murdered in there."

Ciel did not find that very amusing. Sebastian, however, continued to smile. He looked very pleased with the torture he inflicted on his little master.

"You're lucky I'm not murdering you at this very moment."

I giggled. "Ooh, Ciel, I'm so scared! Sebastian, help me! I'm terrified!" I put my hands on my hips, laughing softly. "Now, finish getting ready. I don't have much patience and I hate waiting! Au revoir! See you later." Waving over my shoulder, I walked back from where I came. Maybe staying at the Phantomhive manor wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be when I first arrived. It was turning out to be quite an entertaining visit, to say the least.

But I am more scared than anything about going to the Viscount of Druitt's party. What if I am the one he will target, instead of Ciel? I would have to just wait and see how things played out, no matter how frightened I was…


End file.
